one definitely had a major creep factor to it. It was going to be hard to do laundry if she was afraid to go down and use the machines!
“Oscar?” she called one more time. “C’mon, Oscar. Kitty, kitty.” There was a sudden scramble of paws on cement, and the orange tabby streaked up the stairs looking twice his normal size. As soon as he passed the door, she slammed it shut, her own heart beating faster. There was a bolt style lock on the door, and she slid it into the lock position without hesitation.
She found Oscar under the sofa in the living room backed up against the wall. Something had definitely scared him. She lay on her stomach and talked soothingly to him until she’d coaxed him out and into her arms. They sat on the couch together until he relaxed and began licking his fur back into place.
Oscar’s behavior was unnerving. Maybe it was just being in a new place. Marianne hoped they would both get used to living here. They were stuck here for the duration and would have to make the best of it. If worst came to worst, she could find a laundromat in town rather than go into the basement again.
When she’d returned, he’d followed her. Her fear of the dark and silent basement radiated in waves off of her. Women were so weak and easily handled. He was sure he could have her running to his beck and call in time, and that would begin to make things right again.
Chapter 5
It was mid afternoon already, and since she had promised to visit Grandma Selene in the little town of Vandenberg, she got into the Flea and made her way through town. She drove out into the hot, green countryside and zenned her way up into the hills overlooking the river. It had been some time since she’d been there last, and that time, her mom had done the driving. Geoffrey had not been keen to leave the city much in the last five years and hadn’t accompanied her. With the windows rolled down, there was a breeze in the car, but it only moved the hot air around. Marianne wished the car had A/C.
Grandma Selene and Grandpa Clare moved to the Hudson Valley when they retired, and Marianne had visited them nearly every summer during her childhood. Vandenberg was spread out and mostly rural with a small post office, a bar, a sleepy gas station and not a lot more to speak of. Maple Hill was a big town by comparison. Since her last visit, Marianne noticed a lot more grand homes tucked away in the trees as she wound up the hill. The fancy entrances spoke of money from the city and getaway homes in upstate New York. Once upon a time, they’d all been farms. She felt a bit sad that development had changed her childhood territory but reflected that at least large expanses of identical tract homes had not been built.
She passed another small, rural cemetery along the way. Her Grandpa Clare was buried there, and she thought she’d like to pay him a visit in the next few weeks. Maybe Grandma Selene would like to go.
At last she bumped down the familiar driveway bordered by trees and set back from the road. The big white house appeared around the last corner, and she pulled into the parking area near the big old black Cadillac. She got out and breathed deeply, enjoying the slightly cooler air under the trees and up the hill from town. A two-seater, wicker swinging chair with its comfortable, rose patterned cushions hung from the porch roof beams, dominating the space, and the inner door was open to allow the cooler air in.
She got to the top of the steps just as Grandma Selene arrived at the front door.
“Marianne! How lovely to see you! Come in, come in before the mosquitoes find you.” Traces of a British accent tinged her words.
Marianne entered, allowing the screen door to bang closed behind her. She embraced her beloved grandmother warmly. Selene was taller than Marianne by a few inches and moved with grace despite her age. Her iron gray hair was still thick and wavy and pulled back into a tidy bun held with a silver pin, and she was
“Oscar?” she called one more time. “C’mon, Oscar. Kitty, kitty.” There was a sudden scramble of paws on cement, and the orange tabby streaked up the stairs looking twice his normal size. As soon as he passed the door, she slammed it shut, her own heart beating faster. There was a bolt style lock on the door, and she slid it into the lock position without hesitation.
She found Oscar under the sofa in the living room backed up against the wall. Something had definitely scared him. She lay on her stomach and talked soothingly to him until she’d coaxed him out and into her arms. They sat on the couch together until he relaxed and began licking his fur back into place.
Oscar’s behavior was unnerving. Maybe it was just being in a new place. Marianne hoped they would both get used to living here. They were stuck here for the duration and would have to make the best of it. If worst came to worst, she could find a laundromat in town rather than go into the basement again.
When she’d returned, he’d followed her. Her fear of the dark and silent basement radiated in waves off of her. Women were so weak and easily handled. He was sure he could have her running to his beck and call in time, and that would begin to make things right again.
Chapter 5
It was mid afternoon already, and since she had promised to visit Grandma Selene in the little town of Vandenberg, she got into the Flea and made her way through town. She drove out into the hot, green countryside and zenned her way up into the hills overlooking the river. It had been some time since she’d been there last, and that time, her mom had done the driving. Geoffrey had not been keen to leave the city much in the last five years and hadn’t accompanied her. With the windows rolled down, there was a breeze in the car, but it only moved the hot air around. Marianne wished the car had A/C.
Grandma Selene and Grandpa Clare moved to the Hudson Valley when they retired, and Marianne had visited them nearly every summer during her childhood. Vandenberg was spread out and mostly rural with a small post office, a bar, a sleepy gas station and not a lot more to speak of. Maple Hill was a big town by comparison. Since her last visit, Marianne noticed a lot more grand homes tucked away in the trees as she wound up the hill. The fancy entrances spoke of money from the city and getaway homes in upstate New York. Once upon a time, they’d all been farms. She felt a bit sad that development had changed her childhood territory but reflected that at least large expanses of identical tract homes had not been built.
She passed another small, rural cemetery along the way. Her Grandpa Clare was buried there, and she thought she’d like to pay him a visit in the next few weeks. Maybe Grandma Selene would like to go.
At last she bumped down the familiar driveway bordered by trees and set back from the road. The big white house appeared around the last corner, and she pulled into the parking area near the big old black Cadillac. She got out and breathed deeply, enjoying the slightly cooler air under the trees and up the hill from town. A two-seater, wicker swinging chair with its comfortable, rose patterned cushions hung from the porch roof beams, dominating the space, and the inner door was open to allow the cooler air in.
She got to the top of the steps just as Grandma Selene arrived at the front door.
“Marianne! How lovely to see you! Come in, come in before the mosquitoes find you.” Traces of a British accent tinged her words.
Marianne entered, allowing the screen door to bang closed behind her. She embraced her beloved grandmother warmly. Selene was taller than Marianne by a few inches and moved with grace despite her age. Her iron gray hair was still thick and wavy and pulled back into a tidy bun held with a silver pin, and she was
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